Controversy After Goal at Camp Nou; Dutch Legend Defends Steijn's Celebratory Sprint

Feyenoord midfielder Sem Steijn came on as a substitute and scored during a 1-5 away defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League, with his passionate celebration after the goal sparking controversy in the Netherlands. Dutch football legend Johan van Hanegem stood firmly behind Steijn in a column for De Volkskrant, arguing that the player had every right to follow his heart and let his emotions flow after scoring at Camp Nou. Van Hanegem stated that whether to celebrate or not is a personal choice, and it was unreasonable to demand that the midfielder simply run back to his half with a blank expression. Steijn responded to the critics by saying, "Let those who criticize me come to Camp Nou and try scoring a goal themselves." Four days later, Feyenoord crushed Zwolle 7-0, but Van Hanegem noted that the criticism would not completely disappear. He also criticized the media for overhyping the Champions League fixture.